If the emphasis regarding varieties with a high regression coeffi.cient were toward, rather than away from the best environment (which variety'cau exploit the best environments?) variety A would be selected. Likewise, if for varieties with a low coefficient, emphasis were toward (rather than away from) the poorer environments (which variety can maintain yield even in poor environments?) variety C would be selected (Figure 4). The
difference is not one of analytical procedure, but of philosophy, goal, and/or attitude toward selection. The impact on a breeding program cou-ld be dramatic.
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The farming systems research-extension approach-to technology
development was a response in the early 1970's to a worldwide concern with the plight of small-scale, resource poor farmers, particularly in the third world,6 who were not benefitting from the international public and private investment in agricultural
research, extension, and technology development efforts (Gilbert et al., 1980; Simmonds, 1985; Shaner et al., 1982: Merrill-Sands, 1988; U.S. Congress, 1988; Byrnes, 1988; Chapman and Brown, 1988).
The methods developed to reach these clients revolved around a multidisciplinary approach based on the philosophy not that these
farmers resisted new technology and change, rather that the technology being offered was not appropriate to their conditions. Early thoughts that social scientists (anthropologists,
sociologists, and economists) were necessary to help "sell" modern technology to these farmers (that is, "convince" them to use it) were soon changed. It became apparent that the production
environments on their farms were as much a product of the socioeconomic factors facing these families as of the biophysical
conditions associated with the often unfavorable locations of their farms. This meant that technology had to be tailored to the socioeconomic (date of planting, pest control practices, fertilizer use, soil preparation) as well as the biophysical (soils, climate, altitude) factors affecting the environments of these farmers. It also became apparent that technology testing had to be carried out under the wide range of environments represented and that
recommendations varied depending on the nature of the environment. The term "recommendation domain" (Perrin et al., 1976), commonly
used by farming systems practitioners, reflects this pairing of technologies with environments.
An important characteristic of farming systems methodology is
extensive use of on-farm evaluation under the biophysical and socioeconomic conditions faced by the farmers who are expected to adopt the varieties or hybrids and practices being developed. As
early in the technology development process as feasible, the new material or practices are evaluated under the "good" and the "bad" farm conditions that farmers are able to provide. This reduces the possibility of eliminating technology that would be superior in poor as well as in good environments.
How early in the development process new genetic material is
placed in on-farm evaluation depends on the breeders 'who must supply it to the pers-ons who conduct the on-farm testing. In the
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